That’s because Lamar and Westside will face each other starting 5 p.m. Wednesday night in a best-of-three quarterfinal state playoff series, with the winner headed to next week’s semifinals, just two rounds away from the 5A state tournament.

The District 20-5A champs, Lamar, and the 20-5A third place team, Westside, both won their second round series last week and now brace for at least two more games against each other. Lamar won both regular season games in league play.

“Those two games are not a factor in this series at all,” said Lamar head coach Mike McGilvray. “We played well and were able to win both games. But they’re a very good team. They have outstanding pitching, and it’s going to be a real challenge. But right now…there are what…eight teams left in the region? So every game and every series at this point is a real challenge for all eight of us.”

The Redskins are still playing after they survived a serious challenge Friday and Saturday, needing three games and a bottom-of-the-sixth rally as the sun began to set and the teams approached the eight-hour doubleheader mark to win the rubber match, 7-6, over Cy-Fair and eliminate a Bobcat team that refused to go away.

“It was a wild series,” said McGilvray. “They’re the best offensive team we’ve faced this year. They’re built around their offense and they can score some runs and you got to give the kids credit for the way they battled back.

“That was a tough loss we suffered in Game Two (12-8) when we had the good-sized lead and for the kids to come right back and win that third game…it’s real tribute to their character. They never quit and they never stopped believing we would win the game.”

He also hailed the performances of starting pitcher Andrew Waters and reliever David Atkins for their Game Three pitching performance. Waters was clearly tiring in the fifth and sixth innings, but kept competing and Atkins came out to get the final outs they had to had in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“Andrew Waters and Atkins both did a great job,” said McGilvray. “Cy-Fair has an outstanding hitting team. They swing the bats very well and Andrew hasn’t pitched in a month, but he went out there and gave us a chance to win against a team that can really hit the baseball. And then Atkinss came out and did a great job in relief. Both those guys did a great job and they’re two of the reason we’re still playing. There’s no question.”

Both teams’ pitching staffs were a bit extended after a 10-inning 10-7 Lamar win on Friday night and then the Redskins held an 8-2 lead in Game Two before the Bobcats rallied with four runs in the fifth and six in the top of the seventh to break the game open again — only this time in their favor.

Now Lamar faces a familiar opponent that McGilvray says is totally different than Cy-Fair.

“They’re the opposite of Cy-Fair,” said McGilvray. “Cy-Fair, with those bats, are a team built on hitting whereas Westside is a team built on pitching. They have good hitters but their strength is more their pitching. They’ve got some very good arms at Westside.”

The Wolves are led by ace Daniel Mengden - who will be playing at Texas A & M - and he is a three-year starter. He started both games against Lamar this year, which the Redskins won 6-1 and 2-1, respectively.

In that first game, he was replaced midway through the game while the second one was the season finale where the teams stared to play on the final Friday night of the year and then the lights went out and the teams had to finish the game on Saturday. Mengden did not pitch that second day.

Lamar was downright potent offensively against Cy-Fair, scoring 25 runs in the three game series.

Outfielder Ryan Farney, second baseman David Toups, catcher Cole Lankford, first baseman Matt Luna, outfielder/pitcher John Williamson, third baseman Geno Madrid, shortstop Tucker Cascadden, designated hitter Weston Hawkins, and centerfielder Connor Knapp continue to pound the baseball. McGilvray said they have to continue to score runs at the rate they have been if they want to extend the season beyond this weekend.

The teams will play Game Two 7:30 p.m. Friday nighta at Butler Stadium and then, if necessary, will return at the same time Saturday night at Butler for Game Three.